Researchers per million inhabitants in SDG: World

SDG: World: Researchers per million inhabitants was 1,486 FTE in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
1,486 FTE
Change on year
up 3.5%
Rank
17th
of 50 groups
All-time high
1,486 FTE
in 2023
All-time low
772.22 FTE
in 1998
Years of data
28
1996–2023

Researchers per million inhabitants in SDG: World, 1996–2023

05001.0k1.5k1996200920231996: 792.6 FTE1997: 783.6 FTE1998: 772.2 FTE1999: 784.9 FTE2000: 806.9 FTE2001: 823.3 FTE2002: 833.5 FTE2003: 860.4 FTE2004: 870.2 FTE2005: 903.9 FTE2006: 925.2 FTE2007: 952.8 FTE2008: 976.9 FTE2009: 999.9 FTE2010: 1.0k FTE2011: 1.0k FTE2012: 1.1k FTE2013: 1.1k FTE2014: 1.1k FTE2015: 1.1k FTE2016: 1.2k FTE2017: 1.2k FTE2018: 1.2k FTE2019: 1.3k FTE2020: 1.3k FTE2021: 1.4k FTE2022: 1.4k FTE2023: 1.5k FTE

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in FTE.

Analysis

SDG: World recorded 1,486 FTE for researchers per million inhabitants in 2023. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.5% on the previous year and up 35.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, researchers per million inhabitants in SDG: World peaked at 1,486 FTE in 2023 and was at its lowest, 772.22 FTE, in 1998.

SDG: World ranks 17th of 50 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.

Researchers per million inhabitants in SDG: World, year by year

Annual values for Researchers per million inhabitants (FTE) in SDG: World, 1996 to 2023.
Year FTE Change
1996 792.58 FTE
1997 783.56 FTE -1.1%
1998 772.22 FTE -1.4%
1999 784.88 FTE +1.6%
2000 806.88 FTE +2.8%
2001 823.25 FTE +2.0%
2002 833.45 FTE +1.2%
2003 860.42 FTE +3.2%
2004 870.19 FTE +1.1%
2005 903.95 FTE +3.9%
2006 925.19 FTE +2.4%
2007 952.76 FTE +3.0%
2008 976.94 FTE +2.5%
2009 999.9 FTE +2.4%
2010 1,011 FTE +1.1%
2011 1,042 FTE +3.1%
2012 1,066 FTE +2.4%
2013 1,093 FTE +2.5%
2014 1,117 FTE +2.2%
2015 1,141 FTE +2.1%
2016 1,164 FTE +2.0%
2017 1,195 FTE +2.6%
2018 1,246 FTE +4.2%
2019 1,299 FTE +4.3%
2020 1,340 FTE +3.2%
2021 1,386 FTE +3.5%
2022 1,436 FTE +3.6%
2023 1,486 FTE +3.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 783.31 FTE 772.22 FTE 792.58 FTE 4
2000s 895.29 FTE 806.88 FTE 999.9 FTE 10
2010s 1,137 FTE 1,011 FTE 1,299 FTE 10
2020s 1,412 FTE 1,340 FTE 1,486 FTE 4

Countries ranked near SDG: World

  1. 14 Hong Kong, China 5,874 FTE compare
  2. 15 Ireland 5,753 FTE compare
  3. 16 Canada 5,624 FTE compare
  4. 17 Slovenia 5,616 FTE compare
  5. 18 Japan 5,609 FTE compare
  6. 19 New Zealand 5,435 FTE compare
  7. 20 France 5,369 FTE compare

See the full ranking of 153 places →

More science & technology data for SDG: World

All data for SDG: World →

Frequently asked questions

What is researchers per million inhabitants in SDG: World?
Researchers per million inhabitants in SDG: World was 1,486 FTE in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest researchers per million inhabitants recorded in SDG: World?
The highest recorded value was 1,486 FTE in 2023.
What is the lowest researchers per million inhabitants recorded in SDG: World?
The lowest recorded value was 772.22 FTE in 1998.
How does SDG: World rank for researchers per million inhabitants?
SDG: World ranks 17th out of 50 groups with data for 2023.
Is researchers per million inhabitants rising or falling in SDG: World?
Over the last ten years it is up 35.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this SDG: World data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Researchers per million inhabitants (FTE). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Researchers per million inhabitants in SDG: World. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/researchers-per-million-inhabitants-fte/sdg-world/

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About this data

Indicator
Researchers per million inhabitants (FTE)
Unit
FTE
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
153 places, 3,275 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release